Several scholars of children's literature recently _____ to discuss the work of Sharon Bell Mathis, author of such lauded books as Ray Charles. Once together, they talked about her style, influences, and themes.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
Explanation
Context: The blank names what several scholars of children's literature did in order to hold the discussion described in the next sentence.
Answer: B) convened
Why? The following sentence begins "Once together, they talked about her style, influences, and themes," so the blank must name the act of coming together as a group. "Convened" means assembled for a meeting, which is exactly the action that produces the gathering the next sentence resumes.
Traps:
- A) "stipulated" → to specify something as a condition; it says nothing about assembling.
- C) "cited" → to quote or refer to a source, an act performed on texts rather than a way of meeting.
- D) "ascribed" → to attribute something to a cause or creator, which neither entails nor describes a gathering.